Festivals of the World | General Knowledge for Young Learners - Class 1 PDF Download

Introduction

Some of the best festivals in the world will definitely inspire you to travel around the world to see the rich cultural celebrations around the world, religion, traditions, and uniqueness of the world festivals. Some names of festivals have been unheard of for us as well and have opened a window to this cultural exuberance.
Take a sneak peek into these festivals worldwide – some biggest festivals in the world, some unique festivals in the world, and some religious festivals in the world.

Holi, India

• When: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
• Where: All across India, but Holi in Vrindavan and Mathura is very famous.
• Age Group: A fun festival for all age groups. Kids especially enjoy playing with colors and water balloons.
• About: Holi or the Festival of Colors is the most sought-after festival all across India for the fun and frolic associated with it. Holi marks the beginning of Spring and is a celebration of good over evil. As per Hindu mythology, a boy Prahlad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Prahalad’s father King Hiranyakashipu did not like his son praying to Lord Vishnu instead of him. He ordered his sister Holika who had a boon to be safe in the fire to take Prahalad in his lap and sit in the fire. Inspire by the boon, Holika was burnt and Prahlad was saved. Thereafter, the night before Holi, Holika Dahan is celebrated where people pray around the bonfire to burn all their evils.
• The next day is the day of colors, fun, and food. People of all ages smear each other with colorful gulal (powdered colors) and wish “Happy Holi”. Some people especially kids even play with water guns and water balloons and drench everyone around. And you hear everyone also saying “Bura na mano Holi hai” (which means “Don’t feel bad, it’s just Holi”.

Diwali, India

• When: Monday, 24 October 2022
• Where: All across India
• Age Group: All age groups
• About: Diwali or the “Festival of Lights” is the biggest and major Hindu festival that is celebrated all across India with enthusiasm and fervor. It is celebrated on the No moon day of Kartik month of the Hindu Calendar. The houses and buildings are dazzling with light, candles, and diyas (small clay oil lamps) and signify the victory of light over darkness.
• The festival is celebrated for different reasons across regions. In Northern India, it is believed that on this day Lord Ram came back to his city Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years after defeating Ravan of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya welcomed their king with lightning-up rows of diyas. In Southern India, people celebrate the day when Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narkasura.
• In fact, it is one of the most famous religious festivals around the world.
• The festival is celebrated over a period of 5 days with different rituals and celebrations. People dress up in new clothes, feast on food and sweets, and visit family and friends.

Kumbh Mela, India

• When: 2025
• Where: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain
• Age group: All. However, as it is a mass gathering of people, keep your little ones close to you.
• About: Kumbh Mela is said to be one of the largest congregations of people on the earth with millions of people gathering to celebrate the festival. Kumbh Mela is inexorably related to Hindu mythology and takes place every 12 years in rotation at 4 places in India namely Prayag (confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati Rivers), Haridwar (Ganga River), Nashik (Godavari River) and Ujjain (Shipra River). This event is known as the Maha Kumbh. It is believed that taking a dip in the confluence of rivers during the Kumbh Mela period frees a person from the vicious earthly cycle of life and death. He then moves towards the heavenly realm, which knows no suffering or pain.

Vivid Sydney, Australia: A Festival of Light, Music, and Ideas.

• When: Friday, 26 May 2023 to Saturday, 17 June 2023
• Where: Sydney, Australia 
• Age group: Family-friendly event 
• About: Vivid Sydney is one of the most popular annual events in Sydney. While it is the light installations beaming on the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge that gain the most attention, the festival combines dozens of light installations, musical performances, and ideas to encourage and celebrate creativity.  
• The 23-day festival attracts more than 3 million visitors per year from around the world.

Yi Peng Festival, Thailand

• When: Tuesday, November 8, 2022, or Wednesday, November 9, 2022. The date of the festival coincides with the full moon in November. 
• Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Age Group: Children are allowed! A festival for all ages. 
• About: Yi Peng festival is often celebrated around the same time as Loy Krathong they are two completely different festivals. Yi Peng is all about wish lanterns. Colorful paper lanterns are hung all over the city and decorate every alleyway. On the big night of celebration, thousands of large glowing paper lanterns are released into the night sky like a scene straight out of Disney’s Tangled. It’s considered a good omen if your flaming lantern stays lit until you can no longer pick it out of the starry sky.

Flower Festival, Thailand

• When: Friday, 3 February 2023 to Sunday, 5 February 2023
• Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Age group: This is a very child-friendly event great for all ages!
• About: The Flower Festival in Chiang Mai is celebrating its 45th year this year in 2021! It is one of a kind 3-day long festival that is not to be missed and it’s FREE!

Songkran New Year Festival, Thailand

• When: Thursday, 13 April 2023
• Where: Songkran takes place everywhere in Thailand.
• Age Group: Children are allowed and encouraged to take part in this exciting water festival alongside their families and friends. All age groups are included from toddlers to teenagers.
• About: Thailand’s most famous festival takes place each year in April. Songkran is a water festival and marks the beginning of the New Year, a very important date on the Buddhist calendar. The word Songkran means ‘passing’ or ‘approaching’ and the festival marks the washing out of the old year and the welcoming of the new one.
• It is worth booking a trip to Thailand to coincide with this traditional water festival. Locals and tourists join together with water guns, water buckets, in fact, anything containing water with the aim to soak and “cleanse” each other.
• Water is thrown into cars, over motorcyclists, and onto people passing by. In jungle areas like Chiang Mai elephants are painted with bright designs and are trained to blast people with water from their trunks. A particularly fun experience to witness at Elephant Care.

Boun Lai Heua Fai (Festival of Lights), Laos

• When: Monday, 11 October 2022
• Where: Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Laos
• Age group: Family-friendly and suitable for all ages
• About: Boun Lai Heua Fai, or the festival of floating boats of light, is celebrated in Laos to mark the end of Buddhist Lent (Awk Phansa). Small round “boats” are made from banana leaves which are then decorated with colorful flowers, incense sticks, and candles. Once dusk arrives, participants set their boats, candles glowing, afloat the Mekong River in order to summon the water spirits to bring good luck for the year ahead.

Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year)

• When: Sunday, January 22, 2023
• Where: Vietnam
• Age group: Everyone (suitable for the whole family)
• About: Tết is the biggest annual festival in Vietnam and is celebrated throughout the entire country. Marking the start of the new year according to the Lunar calendar, it’s traditionally a time for family when you pay respect to your ancestors and welcome them in the new year with loved ones. In the lead-up to Tet, it’s traditional to visit the temple and graves of your ancestors, while in the first days of the holiday, it’s customary to wear new clothes and eat special foods such as Banh Chung (sticky rice cake).

Mardi Gras, USA

• When: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
• Where: New Orleans, USA
• Age group: Suitable for all age groups, family-friendly, and kid-friendly celebrations.
• About: The holiday of Mardi Gras is celebrated with great fanfare in the city of New Orleans. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French and is the day before the Christian fasting season of Lent. Various parties and events are held on Mardi Gras Day to mark the last day that many can eat meat and rich foods.
• Note: The celebrations in the French Quarter are not suitable for children but the most popular parades are family-friendly and enjoyed by kids of all ages.

Merrie Monarch Festival, USA

• When: Sunday, 9 April 2023 to Saturday, 15 April 2023
• Age group: All ages, although better for older kids and teens interested in Hawaiian culture.
• About: The Merrie Monarch Festival is a 3-day celebration of traditional and modern Hawaiian hula dancing that takes place on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s an intense hula competition with participants from all around the world. There are also incredible Hawaiian craft fairs, a parade, and other festivities leading up to this Hawaiian festival.

Semana Santa, Guatemala

• When: Thursday, 2 March 2023 to Monday, 10 April 2023
• Where: Antigua, Guatemala
• Age group: All ages but infants should be accompanied by an adult at all times.
• About: With so many festivals from around the world, you may not be surprised to know that in most of Latin America Easter is a very special time for many religious people. In Guatemala, you can find one of the most extravagant Easter celebrations in the Americas. The festival and its religious activities take place in April every year and it is one of the best things to do in Antigua for any visitor that is looking for a festival.

Dia de Muertos, Mexico

• When: Wednesday, 2 November 2022
• Where: Mexico 
• Age group: all ages, kids from any age
• About: Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a festival held in Mexico, celebrated since Aztec times. While it still incorporates plenty of pre-Hispanic elements, elements of All Soul’s Day (a pagan holiday) were incorporated during Spanish colonial rule. The holiday celebrates deceased ancestors who are thought to return from the dead for one night only: the night of the 1st of November for child spirits and the 2nd of November for adult spirits. The festival is anything but morbid: it’s a lively festival where whole families come together to celebrate, dance, and eat with their loved ones.

Guelaguetza Festival, Mexico

• When: Friday, 21 July 2023 to Tuesday, 25 July 2023
• Where: Oaxaca City, Mexico
• Age group: 5+
• About: The Guelaguetza festival celebrates the diversity of the state of Oaxaca which comprises 16 different ethnic groups, each with its own language. Citizens of these communities travel to Oaxaca City to present their native culture through music, dance, costumes, and food. 
• The traditional dress typically includes embroidered fabric with bright colors. The beautiful clothing is a delight to the eyes as they perform dances that are particular to their region. After the performance gifts are thrown into the audience, such as fruit, woven hats, tamales, mezcal, and other items. 
• Formal festival events take place at the amphitheater located on the hill. However, like most festivities in Oaxaca, the celebration flows into the streets and encompasses days on either end of the festival. During this time, the city comes alive with parades of people dancing. There are also local delicacies to sample and handicrafts being sold in the city center. Take a tour of Oaxaca to experience the tradition and culture.

Sugar Mas St Kitts

• When: The carnival celebrations begin at the end of November 2022 for approximately 6 weeks. The official carnival parade is always on the 1st of January. However, there are many parades to participate in, including J’ouvert on December 26th, 2022, and the Last Lap on January 2nd, 2023.
• Where: All celebrations happen in Basseterre, the capital of St Kitts.
• Age group: The festivities are open to all ages and there are specific events for children including a children’s carnival parade.
• About: Sugar Mas is one of the best things to do in St Kitts with the carnival parades featuring the fantastic elaborate feathered costumes that combine African tribal vibes with European partying to the beat of soca and calypso music. The event also serves a cultural purpose as folklore groups dominate the activities, introducing the crowd to moko jumbies, masqueraders, clowns, and other traditional figures.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Scotland

• When: Friday, 4 August to Saturday, 26 August 2023
• Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
• Age group: Edinburgh Military Tattoo is for all ages. Kids are allowed too. 
• About: Seven decades ago, Military Tattoo Festival began as a small show at the Ross Bandstand (which is located below Edinburgh Castle). Today it is a grand event and an international festival that showcases the performances of military bands and artists represented by the British Armed Forces, Commonwealth nations, and International countries. The Military Tattoo Festival is an annual event that runs for 3 to 4 weeks on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle during the month of August.
• The tattoo performance takes place once on weekdays and twice during the weekends followed by a short fireworks display. Tattoo Festival is part of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Menton Lemon Festival, France

• When: Saturday, 11 February 2023 to Sunday, 26 February 2023
• Where: Menton, France
• Age group: Absolutely, although it can get quite crowded. Pushchairs must be left at the gate so you need to carry small children. Smaller kids may not enjoy the crowds. Also worth noting is that dogs aren’t allowed into the statue area. 
• About: Menton, in the south of France, is famous for its citrus fruit- and the region produces a LOT of citrus fruit. The Menton Lemon Festival is a celebration of that. HUGE statues are created… made entirely of lemons, limes, and oranges. Many of them are over 10ft tall! Over 1 million lemons are used each year.

Vardavar, Armenia

• When: Sunday, 16 July 2023
• Where: all over Armenia
• Age group: all ages
• About: Vardavar is one of the most interesting and unique festivals celebrated in Armenia annually. The festival is about water and splashing everyone you see starting from the morning until the evening with buckets of water or water guns.  It happens throughout the entire country and is loads of fun. Originally, Vardavar came from the Pagan times and was a dedication to the goddess of water, love, beauty, and fertility named Astghik.
• Today, historians claim that the word ‘Vardavar’ comes from the observance of the goddess Astghik and is the words ‘vard’ (rose) and ‘var’ (rise from transition) in Armenian. After being the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion, Vardvar began to be celebrated throughout the country as a celebration on the day of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. 
• The festival takes place on different dates each year but it is always in summer.  In 2021, Vardavar will be celebrated on July 11 and it is a complete blessing to cool off during the hot, summer days.

Oktoberfest, Munich

• When: Saturday, 17 September 2022 to Monday, 3 October 2022
• Where: Munich, Germany
• Age Group: Family event, however, minors under 16 may not be allowed inside the beer tents
• About: Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world. It began in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Locals celebrated the wedding by drinking beer (which was brewed especially for the event) and watching horse races. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by the locals and celebrations were held again the following year. The tradition has continued in Munich every year since 1810.

International Iberian Mask Festival, Portugal

• When: Friday, 1 September 2023 to Tuesday, 5 September 2023
• Where: Lisbon and Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
• Age group: Suitable for all the family although some of the costumes may be scary for sensitive youngsters
• About: This is a celebration of the bizarre and often garish costumes that can be found in the villages of Spain and Northern Portugal. Typically, these traditional masks and odd outfits have their origins in pre-Lenten celebrations, although some, such as in the Tras-os-Montes region of Portugal, are tied to the Christmas and New Year period. Bringing such diverse and wonderful masks together in one place is a way of keeping traditions alive and giving spectators a fun-filled, often interactive series of activities. The highlight is the parade and subsequent melting pot of all the participating groups.

Sant’Efisio, Italy 

• When:  Monday, 1 May 2023 to Thursday, 4 May 2023
• Where: Cagliari, Sardinia
• Age group: Any
• About: Locally known as Sagra di Sant’Efisio, the festival has been taking place for more than 350 years to celebrate the saint that saved the city of Cagliari from a tremendous plague in 1652. Though 1 May is the main celebration, festivities continue until 4 May.
• The festival sees people dressed in traditional costumes from a selection of villages in Sardinia walking the statue of Sant’Efisio from the church where it is normally held, in the historic district of Stampace, to a seaside church in Nora, 50 km away.
• The statue is actually carried by an oxen-wheeled tracca (local word for wagon) and there are more than 5000 people parading, on foot or on horses.

Feria de Abril, Spain

• When:  Sunday, 23 April 2023 to Saturday, 29 April 2023
• Where: Seville, Spain
• Age group: All ages, including toddlers
• About:  The Feria de Abril, (‘April Fair’) is a 6-day citywide celebration of Andalusian culture that dates back to 1846 when it started as a livestock fair. Part of Seville transforms into a small town of over 1,000 green-and-white tents that run along makeshift streets named after famous bullfighters. Locals eat fried fish, drink rebujito cocktails or manzanilla sherry, and dance sevillanas until the wee hours. Children can also enjoy the rides and games at Hell’s Road.

Carnival of Cadiz, Spain

• When: Thursday, 16 February 2023 to Sunday, 26 February 2023
• Where: Cadiz, Spain
• Age Group: There are no particular age group limitations to participate in this carnival.
• About: The Carnival is attended by citizens of Cadiz where people in colorful costumes perform on the streets. In February, Cadiz becomes a whole new and exciting place. The city of Andalusia celebrates its annual carnival. The festival is famous for roaming groups who are dressed in colorful attires and perform satirizing current affairs. The festival is celebrated for straight 11 days transforming the whole city into one mega celebration.
• The celebration is believed to have been inspired by the carnival of Venice. Cadiz once enjoyed prosperous trading relationships with Venice in the 16th century. Since then, the carnival is popular all around the world.

The Great Dragon Parade, Poland

• When: dates to be announced for 2023
• Where: Krakow, Poland
• Age group: Suitable for kids of all ages
• About: The Great Dragon Parade is celebrated once a year to pay tribute to one of Krakow’s oldest legends. Once upon a time, a dragon lived in a cave under Wawel Castle. For centuries, he scared and hurt the city’s inhabitants until a Wiley shoemaker tricked him into eating sheep filled with sulfur and mustard seeds, causing him to drink a lot of water and explode into millions of pieces.

Carnival in Ecuador

• When: Monday, 20 February 2023
• Where: Cities throughout Ecuador celebrate Carnival, with the largest celebrations taking place in Guaranda, Ambato, Cuenca, and Quito.
• Age Group: People of all ages take part in Carnival celebrations, with children and young adults particularly enjoying festivities like throwing foam and colored powder at friends and family in the streets. 
• About: Carnival is a holiday associated with Catholicism and celebrated around the world in different ways, but celebrating Carnival in Ecuador is particularly festive and unique. Carnival is most often associated in South America with the large parades, over-the-top costumes, and dancing in the streets in Brazil.
• However, Ecuador’s celebrations get messier and include hitting the streets to throw colored powder, flour, eggs, and foam at celebrating friends and neighbors. Celebrations are also marked by outdoor food festivals, musical performances, and parades showing off traditional dances.

Mama Negra Festival, Ecuador

• When: 25/26th September 2022 & 11 November 2022
• Where: Latacunga, Ecuador
• Age group: Although there is nothing stopping kids from attending the festival, the parade features dead animals which children may find upsetting.
• About: Ecuador’s Mama Negra Festival is celebrated in honor of the Virgin of Mercy. It is believed that she spared the city of Latacunga from a volcano eruption in 1742 and twice every year, they pay homage to her as thanks. It is a local celebration that sees few tourists, although outsiders are welcome.

Carnival in Brazil 

• When: Friday, 17 February 2023
• Where: Celebrations occur all across Brazil with the Samba competition held in the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro.  
• Age group: Kids under the age of 5 are not allowed in the Sambadrome. Carnival celebrations often involve lots of alcohol and it is not an overly kid-friendly event.  
• About: Carnival in Brazil is an exciting time of the year. Over 4 days, a series of Samba competitions are held in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome (a specially-built stadium suited for Samba parades.) However, Carnival celebrations outside of the Sambadrome start-up to a month before Carnival and happen across Brazil in the form of parties, concerts, and “blocos” (or street parties and Samba parades.)  

Parintins Folklore Festival, Brazil

• When: 24, 25, and 26 June 2023
• Where: Parintins Town, Amazonas State, Brazil
• Age group: Kids from 10 years old and older are allowed into the outdoor arena.
• About: Between choreographed dances, lively songs, and impressive costumes, two teams (Garantido and Caprichoso) compete on whom tells the story of the lady and the ox most effectively in an authentic Amazon ritual. The teams perform six hours every night while the crowds dance and watch in awe.

Tapati Festival , Chile

• When: Wednesday, 1 February 2023 to Tuesday, 14 February 2023
• Where: Easter Island, Chile 
• Age group: The festival is suitable for the whole family, including kids of all ages
• About: The Tapati Festival, which literally means “Week Festival” is actually two weeks long.  The festival celebrates Easter Island traditions and mimics historical clan rivalry in the form of a competition between two young women competing for the title of “queen of the island” for the next year.
• The winner is the head of the team (clan) who earns the most points in a series of cultural competitions. 

World Nomad Games

• When: Thursday, 29 September 2022 to Sunday 2 October 2023
• Where: Traditionally, the nomadic games have been held in Cholpon Ata, Kyrgyzstan. In 2021, they will take place in Bursa, Turkey.
• Age Group: Suitable for all ages, including children
• About: The World Nomad Games is a biennial celebration of nomadic cultures. Founded in 2014, the festival brings together athletes and performers from Central Asia and beyond. It showcases the area’s rich traditions in a multi-day celebration of Central Asian culture and sport.

Naadam, Mongolia

• When: Sunday, 11 July 2023 to Thursday, 15 July 2023
• Where: City (ceremony and archery) and country (horse racing)
• Age group: All ages are allowed.
• About: This festival commemorates the 1921 Revolution when Mongolia declared independence from the Qing dynasty. But they found the first written source about similar celebrations back in the 13th century. It is celebrated all around the country in midsummer.
• The main event is in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar at the National Sports Stadium. At the opening ceremony, they transport Genghis Khan’s nine-horse tails –  nine tribes of the Mongols from Sukhbaatar Square to the Stadium to open the Naadam festivities. Elaborate ceremonies at the beginning and at the end are composed of colorful parades of cavalry, athletes, and monks. Naadam itself translates as games. It has competition in 3 traditional sports: horse racing, wrestling, and archery.
• Wrestling is an up to 10-round competition of 1024 men dressed in shorts and shoulder protection. Women can’t compete in wrestling. Archery is a team sport where they count the number of cylinders they hit at a 75-meter distance. Horse racing in cross-country competition on Mongolian horses ridden by small children as jockeys.
• When the winning horse arrives spectators run towards him and wipe his sweat as they believe it will bring them luck. If you have the chance, visit this UNESCO-protected heritage event.

The Mino Washi Akari-Art Festival, Japan

• When: Mid-October 2022
• Where: Mino, Gifu, Japan
• Age Group: Free entry, suitable for all ages
• About: Festival Website
• This annual festival brings together artists of all ages from across Japan and beyond with their stunning and often highly intricate paper lanterns. For one week each October, these beautiful paper sculptures line the streets of Mino City’s Udastu Wall Historical District. This is a particularly fitting setting for the festival with many of the buildings retaining the appearance of ancient Japan. The lanterns lit up by night create a fairy tale scene. 
• The lanterns are made with local Mino Washi paper, a traditional Japanese paper that’s been made in the city for over a thousand years.
• Visit after dark to get the full effect of the lanterns lit up and lining the sides of the roads, then return in daylight to fully appreciate the intricacies of the most unique and complex designs. You’ll be amazed by the variety and originality of the designs. The lamps are lit up every evening between 5 and 9 pm.

National Kenu & Kundu Festival, Papua New Guinea

• When: Saturday, 5 November 2022 to Monday, 7 November 2022
• Where: Alotau, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
• Okay for school-age children and older
• About: The Kenu & Kundu Festival is a celebration of the local maritime heritage. Tribes from all over the province hike, paddle or sail to the festival to show off their local singing (music and dances), and race traditional boats.